AUTUMN 2016 NEWS + NEEDS
rise and shine
READY SET, RUN AMOK! Escape the grind and embark on a 12-day adventure of a lifetime to Cambodia in November 2016 on the only insiders’ trip to Sunrise. You’ll visit our world-class projects to see what we do, how we do it and who we do it for. Run Amok is a hands-on life changing experience. More on page 5.
BOSS TALK: CHAIRMAN + FOUNDER This promises to be an exciting but challenging year for Sunrise Cambodia. We have a vision for Sunrise to be the peak NGO in Cambodia and are working hard to meet UNICEF and government expectations to make the transition to a community development organisation. Residential care of abandoned, trafficked, disabled and vulnerable children will still be the core of our operations but we now also care for thousands of children from local communities. A new strategic plan is under development, which will outline a commitment to education and vocational training, early learning, as well as medical outreach, health support and other much-needed community development programs.
DESPERATE NEED FOR CLEAN WATER SYSTEM The floating village of Mechrey is a community of over 1200 people on Tonle Sap Lake near Siem Reap. Ironically these people live on a fresh water lake but when we asked the chief there what the community needed most he said, without a pause, "clean water to drink." More than half of his villagers are acutely ill from the dirty water supply. It will cost $50,000 to build a proper water filtration system to give these people a never-ending supply of clean drinking water. Please contact us at Sunrise Cambodia HQ if you can help fund this life-saving project. Every single donation makes a difference.
We have recently welcomed New Hope Cambodia in Siem Reap to the Sunrise family. New Hope supports more than 1000 kids and their families from Mondul Bie, a desperately impoverished village community on the outskirts of the city. Wonderful work. Thank you for your generous support as we continue to rise and shine! We can't do it without you.
Kevin and Geraldine kids • familiessunrisecambodia.org.au • health • learning
LIFE ON THE DUMP A HORRID EXISTENCE These children live on a dump near Phnom Penh along with several hundred other locals who try to survive here. The stench at the dump is gut-churning. They dig for food amongst hospital waste and general trash, foraging for anything they can sell to survive on or food to eat. It’s a horrid way to live but there’s hope for them now. Sunrise Cambodia is making plans to redevelop a school nearby so that the folk who live on the dump can take a shower and use a laundry there. Next time you take a steamy hot shower, think of these kids and their families. Sunrise is funding bicycles for the kids to ride to school and is also funding a preschool so that the littlies can learn and socialise instead of crawling in and around the dump all day. This project needs urgent funding. Please make a donation at sunrisecambodia.org.au. Mention in the notes that you would like to support the dump. Thank you x
SOCCER STARS-R-US “We’re so incredibly proud of the kids at our soccer academy,” says chairman Kevin Tutt. The Sunrise soccer academy is the flagship program at a local school in Kampong Speu, one of the poorest provinces in Cambodia. More than 700 kids attend, with 70 of the best soccer players in Cambodia in the Sunrise soccer program.
Two were recently selected for the under 16 national girls' Cambodian team – GO GIRLS! – and there’s many more incredible soccer players where they came from. Kampong Speu isn’t just a soccer academy or a school, it’s a life experience for the kids who attend. The students come from villages many kilometres away to train at the soccer academy. After training they stay over in the dorms, cooking, cleaning, and eating together – there’s a real sense of camaraderie and achievement amongst the kids who attend. Kevin Tutt says the high levels of attendance at school is thanks to the kids’ participation in sport. “Their enthusiasm doesn’t stop off the field, they bring their commitment and devotion to every aspect of their school life, and it makes for a great atmosphere in and out of the classroom,” said Kevin.
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HEALTH CLINIC FUNDING NEEDED With Sunrise Cambodia’s move to the community development model, we have freed up a fabulous building at Kandal to expand our health clinic to care for the local community.
SUNRISE CAMBODIA SOCIAL ENTERPRISE SET TO CHANGE LIVES
The clinic was just big enough to care for our kids in residential care and staff, but now that we have the perfect building, there is the capacity to see 350 patients per week. That’s 350 poor Cambodians who wouldn’t otherwise have access to medical care, in a country where a tooth abscess or appendicitis can kill. The new health clinic needs to be fully equipped with world-class medical equipment, a full time qualified GP, nursing staff, pharmacist and administration staff so that desperately-needed health care can be given to the community, free of charge. It’s not just free healthcare we would like to offer. Sunrise will take care of transport so kids and families can easily get to the clinic and be transferred to Government hospitals if they need it. The clinic will also run education programs to raise awareness in the community on topics such as water sanitation, personal hygiene, the effects of malnutrition, culturally appropriate nutrition, parenting and family education, preventative healthcare measures, mental health and chronic health issues.
This project, with your help, will support Cambodians to keep themselves healthy so that the village can thrive. Now that’s community development! Sunrise needs $115,000 make this project a reality. That includes fully equipping the clinic and funding its first year of operations to improve the health of the local Cambodian community. Contact Sunrise HQ if you can help make this happen.
Pictured above, our small scale health clinic at Kandal cares for the children in residential care and our hardworking staff. A newly vacant building gives the team the space to expand into giving health care to the whole local community.
How do you turn some of the poorest and dependent children in the world in to self-sufficient, independent humans who have courage and economic stability? Launch a successful trailblazing social enterprise, of course!
The Sunrise restaurant, retail store and sky bar in Siem Reap is set to be a place where your mouth enjoys a meal, and your heart enjoys giving. The site itself is perfect, just off Pub Street near the busiest tourist hub in Cambodia. It will attract travellers from all over the world who are looking for a chill place to eat some quality food, sip on a cocktail and change the world. Our restaurant, shop and bar will be a world-class training centre for young adults of Sunrise who are ready to go out and take on the world. These budding professionals will gain skills and experience in hospitality, customer service, food and beverage service, admin, finance, management and how to run a thriving tourist business. The building is an original piece of heritage Belgian architecture, with history in every tile, brick and window. Up on the rooftop (pictured above), the view of stunning sunset panoramas over Siem Reap River will be as smooth as the drinks you’re sipping on. This project is in the planning and costing stages – fingers crossed the doors will open before the end of 2016. If this is a project that you’d like to contribute to financially or professionally, we need all the help we can get. Email the team at Sunrise HQ on hq@sunrisecambodia.org.au or phone 1300 894 591.
sunrisecambodia.org.au • PAGE 3
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY Tuesday 8 March was UN-endorsed International Women’s Day. Over the years, #IWD has become a season which includes most of March. How fabulous. So much of the work we do in Cambodia benefits women and girls. And so many of our generous supporters are women and girls all over Australia. Three out of four staff in Australia are female and three out of eight board members are of the lady persuasion. Our founder is a woman and so is our CEO. It’s an international women’s FRENZY!
WE GOT THE GIRLS OUT It was a world first for Sunrise Cambodia when 80 supporters gathered at the beautiful womens' baths at Coogee beach to celebrate International Women’s Day. Even CEO Lucy Perry got the girls out for a ladies-only swim and gave a speech in her bikini. This was not your average event! Thank you to our generous sponsors, Harris Farm Markets Bondi Beach for donating fruit for breakfast, Bourke Street Bakery for divine pastries and Carman’s Kitchen for a mountain of muesli bars. Each guest received a gift from Bellicious Jewellery and warm fuzzy feelings knowing that the ticket price would support women and girls in Cambodia. Funds raised at this event will cover the cost of an advanced sewing program for young women in Siem Reap. See you next year!
SURVIVOR, CHIEF, AWESOME WARRIOR Chantha is the chief community leader of a small village in Cambodia called Kamnor Thmor (Hope). She survived the murderous Pol Pot regime but her husband was murdered and in the years following, both her children died from disease. Chantha and her family were put to work in the fields, transplanting rice seedlings and later cutting wood from the forest for army use. For their labour they were given one plate of rice and one bowl of soup - sometimes just a spoonful of porridge - once a day. While she worked, Chantah witnessed horrific events. She saw lines of good people – teachers, Khmer army and Vietnamese nationals – marched to their execution. Early one morning, she escaped the Khmer Rouge camp in the cover of darkness and ran to the safety of the Vietnamese army camp. She was ordered out of her black Khmer Rouge uniform, into liberation, and was finally reunited with her remaining family. Chantha married again in 1978 and had four sons and two daughters with her new husband. She now lives in Kamnor Thmor community and is a highly respected leader and champion for women and girls. She says the village is in great need of sanitation so that villagers don’t need to go walking to find a toilet and so that the stream that runs past her village can stay clean.
Thanks to Miriam Hechtman founder of WonderWomen who partnered with us on this unique event and handled all the nitty gritty details.
Chantha’s story is remarkable and we salute her as an international woman, a proud Cambodian and a leader amongst her tribe. #respect
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RUN AMOK WITH US IN CAMBODIA 18 - 30 NOVEMBER 2016 • The only insider’s trip to Sunrise Cambodia
For the first time ever, Sunrise Cambodia is hosting a unique travel experience to see Cambodia and Sunrise projects with the Sunrise Crew. The dates of travel are 18 - 30 November 2016, but the fun starts now. Raise $10,000 for the work of Sunrise Cambodia, cover your travel expenses and you’re in. Or register as a team of two raising $15,000 and double the fun! The Sunrise crew will support you to raise the funds that will have a profound impact on the communities you visit in November.
We’re appealing to our most adventurous, passionate supporters. Run Amok will take you to Sunrise Cambodia key projects and the country we call home. See what we do, how we do it and who we do it for, all the while travelling through Cambodia’s treasures. You’ll be cycling Angkor Wat, kayaking Tonle Sap Lake, trekking Cambodia’s lush landscapes and relaxing on Cambodia's most beautiful beaches at Kep.
“This is not your average volunteering trip to Southeast Asia,” says Australia-based CEO, Lucy Perry who is leading this adventure. “This is a trip of a lifetime for a group of passionate supporters who want to see with their own eyes the impact they are having on some of the poorest communities in the world. This is a life-changing experience of epic proportions and a bucket-list item.”
There are only a small number of places left on this adventure so move quickly. Visit our website to download the full itinerary and trip notes. Then register online to get the ball rolling.
"I regret spending money on that life-changing adventure," said no one, ever. You know what to do: visit sunrisecambodia.org.au or call Sunrise Cambodia HQ on 1300 894 591.
sunrisecambodia.org.au • PAGE 5
JOIN THE SUNRISE VOLUNTEER ARMY Volunteers make the world go 'round and Sunrise Cambodia needs the help of a regular army of gun volunteers in our fundraising office in Sydney. We need regular vollies who can come in to the office at least one day a fortnight to help with admin and other challenges. Regular days are a huge help to us. If you have a laptop you can bring with you, even better. Our most important tasks include database preening, research and writing, bookkeeping and admin support for the bean counters, event coordination, hand writing thank you cards to our awesome supporters and DJing the soundtrack for the office playlist. If you have time and talent to share with the growing team in the Sunrise Cambodia office, then come on down. All the details and an application form are on our website under HOW TO HELP. Go to it!
HOT DESK WITH US Our Sydney office has some extra desk space that we’re keen to share. We have a ping pong table, air con for hot summer days (or you could just pop down to the beach for a swim), printer, scanner and wifi. If it’s library conditions you need, this may not be the office for you because world-changing is busy, collaborative work. And sometimes we laugh so hard we disturb the acupuncture guy next door. It’s a vibrant place with a top-notch gang to share space with. If you would like a beach-side workspace, get in touch with us. We are at 39 Burnie Street, Clovelly. Email Carmen our Engagement Manager, at hq@sunrisecambodia.org.au for further details.
DREAM TEAM
Sunrise Cambodia is set to tackle the challenges of the future with a brand new team of talented professionals in Australia. After a decade in Adelaide, the admin office there has been closed with a new fundraising office opening in Sydney. The new team is small but with big ideas and skills in fundraising, communication and financial management. From left to right, the Dream Team is led by Chief Executive Officer Lucy Perry. Lucy has a background in communication and fundraising with wild hair to match Geraldine’s. Carmen Huehn (pronounced hoon!) is our Engagement Manager. She makes sure that when you engage with Sunrise Cambodia you have a fab time and a world class experience so that you come back and do it again. Carmen also looks after our volunteer army and intern program. Imogen Champagne (yes, that’s her real name) is the new Sunrise Cambodia Digital Manager. She wrangles social media, digital communication and all online fundraising platforms. Imogen writes like a boss. George Passas completes the team as our newly-appointed Chief Financial Officer (also referred to as Money Bags). George is responsible for financial oversight, compliance and reporting. Our annual report is going to be a masterpiece. Louise Byrne will support us remotely from home. It’s a lean, mean office that is run extremely efficiently so that funds are applied in Cambodia with maximum impact. Impact is the name of the game. Your support is having an impact! The ACF board extends a big ‘okun’ or thank you to the outgoing admin team in Adelaide who have supported Geraldine and her fundraising efforts for many years. High fives and all the best to Chrissy, Gaynor, Marie, Sue and Lou for a job well done.
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SHOOT PHOTOGRAPHS, NOT BULLETS Who are these two handsome lads? One is talented Adelaide photographer Richard Lyons, just one of the best photographers in Australia. Richard is known for shooting high-end advertising campaigns but last year he went to Cambodia to shoot the work of Sunrise with his Nikon. The other legend in this picture is Pol Pot survivor, 74 year-old Loas. The only reason he is alive is that when he was marched into a field to be executed by Pol Pot’s army, more than forty years ago, the soldiers ran out of bullets when it was Loas' turn to face execution. He survived to tell the incredible tale and lives in a small village on the outskirts of Phnom Penh where Sunrise Cambodia is helping with housing, water pumps and bikes for the kids to ride to school. What a smile. Richard’s photographs from this trip are utterly stunning and you will see them throughout the new Sunrise website and brochure. We are so grateful! Soon you will be able to buy a set of gift cards featuring Richard’s most achingly beautiful Cambodian images, with all proceeds funding Sunrise Cambodia community development including clean water and sanitation for Loas' village. #fistpump
YOU GAVE YOUR SHELVES A MAKEOVER!
Thank you for raiding your bookshelves for the kids and communities at Sunrise Cambodia. We asked and you responded from all over Australia! Several hundred preloved books were shipped to Cambodia this month, ready for reading. Please don’t send any more as we don’t have storage space. Hold fire until the next call out. Also, a big Khmer OKUN (thank you) to Carolyn from laundry experts Richard Jay, for donating a refurbed commercial washing machine which will be put to good use in Cambodia.
BEST KEYNOTE SPEAKERS IN THE WORLD Book Geraldine Cox AM or Lucy Perry CEO as a keynote speaker for your next conference and change the world at the same time. Speaker’s fees are negotiated to fund the most desperate community needs in Cambodia such as housing, health and sanitation. Your event could fund a doctor’s salary or safe housing. Long after your conference is done and dusted, you will be having a profound impact on some of the poorest people in the world. Email hq@sunrisecambodia.org.au.
sunrisecambodia.org.au • PAGE 7
“There will always be some kids in Cambodia who need full time residential care - like this little boy who was trafficked from Thailand when he was five. He’s been with us for a year but we haven't found his family yet. So he’ll have to get an education while he waits! Good food, school and lots of love, while we keep hunting for his Mum.” Geraldine Cox AM
PLEASE DONATE • Make a credit card donation online at sunrisecambodia.org.au • Post a cheque made out to the Australia Cambodia Foundation to PO Box 2266 Clovelly NSW 2031 • Donate by calling us on 1300 894 591 • Drop into Sunrise Cambodia HQ in Sydney and make a cash donation and meet the team
“Our most urgent need is funding for lifesaving community development in the poorest provinces of Cambodia. Your generosity literally changes lives. Please make a donation, or even better, consider a regular monthly gift. A reliable income from monthly donations helps us plan for the future to support at-risk kids, struggling families and poor communities in Cambodia. Every little bit make a difference. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.” Geraldine Cox AM, Founder
Sunrise Cambodia is a world-class charity on the ground in Cambodia giving much-needed help to at-risk kids, struggling families and poor communities in some of the most poverty-stricken provinces of the country. The charity is one of a number of projects in Cambodia which are funded by the Australia Cambodia Foundation Inc (ABN 37 730 989 411); a DFAT and ATO approved Deductible Gift Recipient charity, registered to raise funds in all states and territories of Australia. Any excess funds will be allocated to approved projects in Cambodia. Figures throughout this newsletter are in Australian dollars. Your donations to Sunrise are applied where they are needed most urgently. Thank you for reading the fine print.
The Sunrise Cambodia fundraising team would love to hear from you. We are on deck Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm. Our website works 24/7 and you can email us anytime and we'll respond to you pronto. Phone Email Visit Social media Snail mail Pop in
1300 894 591 hq@sunrisecambodia.org.au sunrisecambodia.org.au @sunrisecambodia PO Box 2266 Clovelly NSW 2031 39 Burnie Street Clovelly NSW 2031
Images in this issue were shot by these talented photographers: Tony Lewis, Richard Lyons, Dr Lachlan Hinds and Diana Scalfati